Pandaren
The enigmatic pandaren are one of the most elusive races of Azeroth. Pandaren come from the Pandaren Empire of Pandaria. They are humanoid pandas with a great love of nature and strong ales. Hailing from their own secret empire, the pandaren are a race of humanoids resembling panda bears. This appearance leads some to underestimate these noble creatures, thinking them harmless and “cute.” They may be cute, but they are not harmless. Pandaren have a long tradition of mystic warfare and are exceedingly strong and agile. The traditional pandaren fighting style focuses upon mobility, speed and precision, as well as stunning acrobatic tricks. Many pandaren are skilled at fighting bare-handed. Only the pandaren know the intricacies of their society, but alcohol is a central feature. All pandaren are connoisseurs of ale and stronger drink, leading to a unique kinship with Ironforge dwarvess. A caste of wandering pandaren warriors called Brewmasters is highly respected in their culture. A few Brewmasters have been spotted in Kalimdor, searching for new beverages to sample and ingredients to add to their own brews. Pandaren are affable and noble, trained in battle but always seeking peace. Pandaren philosophy centers on a harmony of opposites — male and female, calm and chaos, existence and non-existence. Pandaren feel a strong link to the natural world and seek to maintain a peace between all races and nature. Very few pandaren ever leave their hidden island homeland of Pandaria, although rumors tell of a pandaren settlement within the Stonetalon Mountains, but those that do have proved themselves to be strong warriors specializing in Drunken Brawling with great command of the elements. The most famous of these warriors is Chen Stormstout, who assisted the half-orc Rexxar and the Horde after the fall of the Burning Legion. No one knows what became of him afterwards, but several of his empty kegs have been found scattered around the Barrens. Though Chen assisted Rexxar, they do not seem to be specifically affiliated with either the Horde or the Alliance. Even unaligned races such as pandaren live defined by the conflicts among and around them. in a world constantly on the brink of war, the need for peacemakers is as great as the need for warriors. Many of Azeroth's denizens do not owe fealty to the Alliance or Horde. Some races, such as pandaren, are independent. Appearance Pandaren resemble a cross between panda bears and humans; they are not dissimilar in appearance to furbolgs, though they are less feral. Pandaren average 5 1/2 feet in height, and make assured and precise movements. Pandaren smile often. The humanoid looks vaguely similar to a bear, with a stocky build and blunt ursine face. Its short-furred pelt is white with black markings around its eyes. It wears a loose, embroidered silk robe. Homelands Pandaren hail from distant island nation of Pandaria, which no non-pandaren has ever seen. A splinter group of pandaren arrived on Kalimdor in the aftermath of the Third War and has established itself in the Stonetalon region of the Barrens. Pandaren have arrived only recently in the west. There was also an in-game secret in Warcraft III the Frozen Throne where Arthas discovers a Pandaren Relaxation Area in Andorhal after he finds King Terenas' remains. Culture Pandaren society Pandaren society has changed from its origins. Where once the pandaren were a mighty empire, standing proud beside their night elf allies, now they are a simple people who want only peace and a safe home. Yet the world is a dangerous place, and only through an acceptance of the violence that comes with life can the pandaren continue to prosper. Pandaren society is, in many ways, compartmentalized. At their core, the pandaren treasure peace and creativity. Most pandaren are poets and singers, and the craftsmen of their culture are truly revered. The danger of their lives, however, has necessitated the evolution of a class of warriors to defend those ideals - it is these warriors, from the simplest pikeman to the great shodo-pans, who ensure that pandaren culture survives. Shamanistic Like the furbolgs, tauren, and Wildhammer dwarves, the pandaren follow a shamanistic faith, worshipping the Earth Mother and giving passage to their dead. They are true geomancers, drawing their holy power directly from the Earth Mother. They also follow a new philosophy (new to the other residents of Kalimdor, of course); they are a society that reacts, instead of acting first. They claim to be the water that flows around a rock: The water does not push the rock out of the way, it merely goes around it. They use this uncomplicated way of thinking in their everyday life. If they set their minds to a task, and they fail, then they believe they went about it the wrong way and try again. They do not mourn for failures, believing that they simply have mapped out improper ways to do things and they will know better next time. This philosophy seems simple, but the pandaren apply it to every aspect of their lives, from brewing beer to adventuring. They are calm, affable types who will extend the hand of friendship to a stranger on the road - but if the stranger is hostile, the hand of friendship can quickly turn into an excruciating joint lock. Brewing What may surprise those who encounter the pandaren most, however, is their unabashed love for beer. Most religious and meditative people on Kalimdor consider alcohol a drink for the masses, a drink whose properties cloud the mind and block contemplation of the gods. The pandaren laugh at this notion. The ideal day for a pandaren begins with meditation and ends with a good drink with a better friend. They love encountering folk who live life to the fullest; they enjoy adventuring; and they are happiest in a tavern swapping stories and buying rounds for the house. Those lucky enough to meet a pandaren and share in his ale will undoubtedly find it to be the best beer they have ever tasted. The down side to this, of course, is that they will no longer enjoy Kalimdor-brewed beer as much. The pandaren are an old and refined culture with many traditions and arts important to their way of life, none of which have influenced the pandaren so thoroughly as the art of brewing. Drink is in every aspect of pandaren life; and because of the craft involved, a tradition of brewing potent fluids has become a cultural institution for the gentle people of Pandaria. The pandaren brewmasters travel the world for new and exotic ingredients and recipes. These affable yet deadly warriors practice a unique combination of healing arts and martial skill. With their knowledge of alchemy, potion-making and brewery, the pandaren have created superb ales and liquors that have become a welcome drink at any adventurers table either before or after a battle. The brews hold magical properties, as plants, berries and fungi that harbor powerful spirits are often included as ingredients in whiskeys, ales and other alcoholic beverages. Distilling these ingredients focuses potent magic. Martial artists They take the same stance regarding their martial arts as they do every other part of their lives. They use what works, perfecting it with terrifying results, and they don't use what doesn't work. If an injured leg won't allow the pandaren to kick very high, he gives up that kind of kick and perfects another. If up against a massive opponent, the pandaren will not waste time trying to match strength with strength, as the opponent represents the rock in the river to them. They find a clever way to best their opponent while expending the least strength necessary. They are formidable monks, following their philosophies to the letter and perfecting their martial arts as they see fit. Even the lowliest pandaren is capable of defending himself, using the fangs and stubby but needle-like claws that are a natural part of his body. All pandaren can use these natural weapons to fight and hunt, as pandaren grow up playing rough and tumble games meant to hone their abilities while learning the admonishments of their elders that such things are a last resort. In general, pandaren prefer to use the weapons they craft, feeling that their natural weapons hearken back to a primal time. Pandaren are bipedal creatures, but their pseudo-ursine forms allow them to move at tremendous speed on four limbs. When a pandaren drops down to all fours, his speed increases greatly. He must have nothing in his hands to use quadrupedal movement. Pandaren relations , a furbolg, a gnome and a Wildhammer dwarf.]] All of the races that reside on Kalimdor view the pandaren with interest. Claiming to come from an island named Pandaria, which no one has ever visited, these gentle beings bring their love for beer, their quiet contemplations and their formidable fighting techniques to Kalimdor to experience life on the continent. The pandaren are the smallest of the bestial races and seem positively tiny next to the hulking bulk of the furbolgs. However, they seem much less like beasts than their apparent cousins. They value honor, discipline and friendship above all else. Gain the companionship and trust of a pandaren, they say, and you have a friend and protector for life. The pandaren are an independent race and any encountered outside the Barrens are wanderers and travelers, belonging to no affiliation. Their outlook meshes well with the Alliance, and most pandaren in Kalimdor are found in the company of Alliance races. Pandaren are eccentric, however, and some feel more at home around the Horde. In any case, they rarely stay in one place for long. Pandaren friendliness and combat prowess make them good allies and honorable enemies. Pandaren are on good terms with all non-evil races. Although they have been on Kalimdor a short time, the pandaren have already developed a special bond with the Ironforge dwarves. The dwarves are a race that appreciates good ale and a good story, and they have many tell of their own. The pandaren have enjoyed their stops at Bael Modan and the things they have learned of the Alliance, the Horde and the Scourge there. Being a race that honors their ancestors as well, they aid the dwarves in their search for titan artifacts when they can. They believe knowing where one comes from is an important aspect to living a full life. They have also made friends in the half-elves they have encountered, as the half-elves are beginning to adopt the same life-accepting philosophies as the pandaren, and they find them to be ideal traveling partners. Most pandaren have recently arrived on Kalimdor, but there are some that fought in the recent conflicts surrounding Illidan. A number of pandaren were visiting the dwarves of Bael Modan when the call came to the Alliance to prevent the blood elf and naga army traveling to Northrend. To honor their hosts, the pandaren visitors joined the fight. It was during this battle that they formed most of their opinions regarding the other races. The pandaren have liked most of the other independent races they have met. Deciding to remain neutral themselves, they appreciate the other races' reasons for standing safely in the middle. They, understandingly, identify more with the races that they have philosophies in common with. Some pandaren spent many months recently with the furbolgs, learning of their simple life in Ashenvale Forest. They sympathize with the half-orcs they have met, and simply do not understand the goblins. They, like the other races of the continent, do not care for the blood elves and naga (there are exceptions as one was last seen fighting alongside the sin'dorei). The trolls are puzzling, as they practice divine magic, but for evil purposes, which doesn't coincide with the pandaren philosophy. Their fondness for the Ironforge dwarves doesn’t put the pandaren in a likely position to join the Alliance any time soon. They feel the Alliance gives too much weight too politics, treaties and arcane magic when, really, all one needs to do is step outside one’s door, taste the air, feel the earth and take one’s cues from there. Overall, the Alliance is unnecessarily complicated for the pandaren, and although they do enjoy visiting Theramore (especially for the taverns), they don't plan on setting up homes there any time soon. They have much in common with the Horde when it comes to spirituality, but they are unlikely to join their forces either. The Horde is formed of races in the midst of healing, the pandaren believe, and they need to find themselves before they can allow anyone else to join their fold. Besides, the pandaren are just visiting. Notes *Pandarens respect shamans because of their similar beliefs. Chen Stormstout helped Rexxar on his travels after Rexxar helped him. Chen fought against humans with the Horde. Racial traits * Pandaren are agile and physically tough. * Pandaren can see twice as far as human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight and similar conditions of poor illumination. They retain the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions. * Pandaren are bipedal creatures, but their pseudo-ursine forms allow them to move at tremendous speed on four limbs. * Pandaren can fight effectively with their teeth and claws. * Pandaren are as smart as humans. Language Pandaren speak Common. Many have also learned Darnassian, Dwarven, Taurahe and Thalassian in their travels. Pandaren equipment The clever pandaren craftsmen have learned to make the most of the sparse building materials found in their environs. Steel is a rare commodity; in fact, most of what steel they have is left from bygone days in central Kalimdor, reforged and reshaped by craftsmen. The rest of what they have is usually taken from the weapons of enemies. As such, the pandaren have developed weapons and armors that rely on very little steel. In fact, only the shaktani warblades are made wholly of steel. *Pan-spear **These spears are constructed of light yet sturdy bambus and fitted with wickedly edged spearheads shaped to resemble the leaves of the bambus. *Shaktani Warblade **Shaktani are considered masterwork weapons - It is simply not possible to create the elegant curving blades and precise balance of the weapon without extensive and painstaking craftsmanship. *Pikeman Armor **Crafted of bambus backed with leather and woven with iron-beaded wire, the heavier pikeman armor is meant for front-line battle. It tends to be heavy, allowing for greater protection for the warrior. *Wardancer Armor **Likewise crafted of bambus, wardancer armor is similar to pikeman armor, although rare steel-silk replaces the wire and tiny hollow steel orbs replace the iron beads (the orbs make an echoing sound when struck). The armor itself is lighter, but it allows a greater freedom of movement, essential to the wardance. Classes Pandaren classes cannot be defined in the same way as those of the other mortal races of Azeroth, due to their distinct culture and practices. Nevertheless, there are certain roles within pandaren society that may be defined thus: *Pikeman *Wardancer *Geomancer *Shodo-Pan *Brewmaster Furbolg pandaren ' forces, who fought the blood elves trying to escape to Outland.]] Pandaren are distantly related to furbolgs. In fact, a race of more feral pandaren live in Northrend and appear to be in league with the Wendigos there. A few of the more bestial pandaren in the command of a pandaren brewmaster, also fought in the forces sent out by Garithos, to try to stop the blood elves & naga from fleeing to Outland. These pandaren are referenced in Alliance & Horde Compendium as having joined up with dwarves of Bael Modan in order to stop the blood elves and naga . References in WoW * Chen's Empty Keg: Refers to the secret pandaren Brewmaster hero Chen Stormstout who aided Rexxar in Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne. * An NPC child that walks around Stormwind and fishes with two other NPCs tells unbelievable stories, one of them includes him saying this,"It's true! People have seen them! Pandaren really do exist!" *See also: Samwise Didier A history of rumors The pandaren started as a creation of the Blizzard artist Samwise and an April Fools joke, but they got a massive response from Warcraft fans. Soon, they were included in the Warcraft III expansion and Chris Metzen began to write them into the game lore. Due to this popularity, pandaren were rumored to be the new playable Alliance race to be introduced in the Burning Crusade expansion. Their possible appearance in WoW has been hinted at multiple times by Blizzard. Katricia: "Maybe they will be found in the beta or retail version of the game and maybe they will be granted a special place in an expansion. Just imagine how exciting it will be to find one!" and "pandarens will not be a playable characters .. at this time. Will they make cameo appearances in the game as NPCs? Some things are best left unanswered I think :)" Supposedly, a gaming magazine was brought to Blizzard's offices in the fall of 2005 to view the Burning Crusade expansion pack for the first time. There were dozens of posters and artwork depicting the pandaren as the new Alliance race. This rumor goes on to suggest the race was then canceled for reasons concerning "pandas being a sacred animal" in China, or with the "political problems with a Japanese/Chinese hybrid". Other gaming sources stated that when "mentioning the ex-April-Fools-joke Pandaren Empire to Blizzard staff got a surprisingly cagey response... " Blizzard has yet to confirm or deny these rumors directly. In any case, Blizzard revealed in May 2006 that the new Alliance race for the expansion was to be the draenei, thus rendering most rumors incorrect. Nevertheless, Katricia's comments still leave some possibility for a future appearance in World of Warcraft. Trivia *The name pandaren is derived from the words 'panda' and 'rén', the Pinyin Chinese word for 'person'. Literally translated, pandaren is 'panda-people'. *Pandaren philosophy points indirectly at the Chinese martial Tai-Chi, because of its soft gentle nature and powerful attacks. The style also shows the same philosophy as the pandaren's religion. However, due to the drinking it could lean towards the infamous style of Drunken Monkey Fist. *Finding a clever way to best an opponent while using the least amount of strength is like the Wing Chun Chinese martial art. *Some of their culture is much like the Chinese religion Daoism. *The pandaren originally had a Japanese appearance, using samurai-style armor and weapons. After a negative reaction by many in China, who regard the animal as one of their own, they were redesigned with Chinese-style clothing. References Category:Rumors Category:Creatures Category:Humanoids Category:Pandaren Category:Warcraft RPG